Catheter ultrasound transmission element (CUTE) catheter

Abstract

An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a precise catheter tracking system, Active Ultrasound Pattern Injection System (AUSPIS). AUSPIS establishes ultrasonic communication between any ultrasound external probe and internal catheter (CUTE catheter). The system receives image beacon pulses, analyzes the acquired signal, and fires one or a series of active echo pulses from the same active echo element with a proper timing, frequency, duration and amplitude. Thus it enables injection of any “virtual” pattern into the B-mode image. The pattern injected to the B-mode image is from actively encoded ultrasound field in the tissue. The encoding is based on B-mode ultrasound image formation technique, so it doesn't require hardware or software modification to the US machine. It continuously measures the local acoustic signal amplitude, by which sub-millimeter elevation localization accuracy can be achieved. The technique can be used for tracking, tool guidance, and annotation with configured tracking formations.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 an external ultrasound probe; 
 a catheter having an active ultrasound element for tracking the catheter,
 wherein the active ultrasound element is configured to
 transmit a series of pulses from the active ultrasound element to the external ultrasound probe based on detecting an ultrasound signal from the external probe, 
 
 wherein the catheter further includes:
 a working channel for infertility treatments, 
 an optical fiber, and 
 at least one actuation wire, and 
 
 wherein the optical fiber is coupled to a photoacoustic sensitive material to transmit the series of pulses omnidirectionally; 
 
 a tracking bracket coupled to the external ultrasound probe and including a plurality of transducers configured to triangulate a position of the active ultrasound element,
 wherein the plurality of transducers are positioned adjacent to a head of the external ultrasound probe and configured to:
 transmit a signal to the active ultrasound element, and 
 detect a response signal from the active ultrasound element, and 
 
 wherein the plurality of transducers are configured to be omnidirectional; 
 
 a printed circuit board configured to:
 energize the plurality of transducers, 
 receive the response signal from the active ultrasound element, 
 amplify and digitize the response signal to generate a digitized waveform, 
 process the digitized waveform, and 
 transmit a location of the active ultrasound element to another device; and 
 
 one or more processors configured to:
 receive data associated with the ultrasound signal, 
 receive data associated with transmission of the series of pulses, and 
 analyze the data associated with the ultrasound signal and the data associated with the transmission of the series of pulses to identify an ultrasound spot corresponding to the position of the active ultrasound element within an ultrasound image frame,
 wherein a triangulation algorithm is used to identify the ultrasound spot. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , a pulse laser diode (PLD) and a PLD driver. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  wherein the PLD driver implements a burst signal sequence. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors, when analyzing the data, are further to:
 perform homodyne detection on acquired signals without synchronizing a transmit/receive (T/R) event. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber has a diameter of between 100-200 μm, and
 wherein the photoacoustic sensitive material comprises at least one of:
 India-ink, 
 PDMS with carbon black, or 
 a dichroic filter. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more optical hydrophones disposed on a shaft of the catheter to maximize sensing sensitivity,
 wherein the one or more optical hydrophones are configured to receive the ultrasound signal.